Short hops and hard knocks with Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne.

The return of the Captain

For the first time since June 30, Red Sox manager Terry Francona has posted a lineup that has the name of Jason Varitek in it. Boston’s captain broke his right foot that night of his last start, and has patiently waited on the bench since being activated eight days ago.

It is a strange time for Varitek, as the Red Sox — on the cusp of falling out of contention — want to get a look at Jarrod Saltalamacchia with an eye toward next season.

Could this be the end for Varitek in Boston? He is very clear in the fact he wants to play well beyond this season. But he’s again a free agent, and the Red Sox could look to go younger at that position. Of course, the Victor Martinez negotiations also have a large bearing on whether Varitek resurfaces. It’s hard to imagine any circumstance in which both those players would be on the roster next year.

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12 Comments

I didn’t see the game. Per boxscore I like the the way the bullpen was managed. Francona pulled the pitcher before disaster hits. If the Sox didn’t score that many runs, Pap could have blown another save against a weak lineup. Go Sox, hey you never know.

I doubt Varitek will be back next season and I hope he isn’t brought back. He was a warrior for Boston but it’s time for him to go elsewhere. I’ve said it many times on here, this team needs to get younger not older!

I have to agree with you on Varitek. Sadly, I feel bad for Jason. He really isn’t in a position to be a primary and will have to relegate himself to a backup role. Jason could be back if Martinez doesn’t sign which could be a very likely possibility depending on the terms of the deal and I think that may be what Jason has in mind. I don’t know. I don’t see Jason signing with anyone else. Nobody wants a catcher his age despite his experience and I doubt Jason will take the salary considerations for a man his age either.
If he does not get resigned by the Sox, I think it would be nice to do something for him to honor him. He’s given a lot to this team over the years but I hope he realizes he’s not 30 anymore and his body just can’t take the strain anymore no matter how much he can convince himself otherwise.

If Buchholz were facing the Yanks or the Rays yesterday, he would likely lose. The linescore looks good. Bucky got the outs but went deep into counts with almost every batter he faced. The M?s lineup is a Dunkin donut. Why not just attack the strike zone and blow the Mariners away? V-Mart?s pickoff play at 3B was big. Who knows what a big inning could be for the M?s? Atchison had a nice and clean inning. Go Sox, hey you never know.

While I know that Clay got the W last night, he still didn’t look as sharp as he had before his rough spot.. maybe he should cut that mop of hair he has.. lol, that could be weighing him down.
Seriously, it’s late in the season and everyone on that team must be exhausted. either by # of innings played/pitched or just by the stress that this depleted lineup brings on. I am extremely surprised that they have hung in the mix as long as they have.
And the way that #1 and #2 keep knocking each other around, still anything can happen. I am still SO PROUD to be a part of the RedSox Nation and I still beleive!!!!!

Brownie – are you auditioning for a job with the YES Network or something?

“It is a strange time for Varitek, as the Red Sox — on the cusp of falling out of contention — want to get a look at Jarrod Saltalamacchia with an eye toward next season.”

First of all, Saltalamacchia has looked like **** in the games that I’ve seen him in. If he’s the “answer” someone is asking the wrong questions.

Secondly, Varitek comes back and immediately picks off two guys at second. Haven’t seen Salty do that yet, and Victor Martinez, though an excellent defensive catcher in all other respects, is not a put-out man.

Can’t see why the Red Sox would bring back Varitek? Uh, in ‘Tek’s first game back, he caught, and threw out two baserunners – which allows the Sox to use Martinez as DH – improving the Red Sox defensively and offensively. THAT is a nice option for the Sox – use Varitek for backup catcher and VMart as DH, a switch hitter who can hit better than Ortiz any day. Say goodbye to Big Papi and use Papi’s money to pay for Victor Martinez.

Finally, your comment that the Red Sox are “on the cusp of falling out of contention” amounts to showing where your true loyalties lie – and you are not with Red Sox Nation, obviously. With the second-place Yankees in their worst slump of the second half, going 2-8 in their last 10, and the Red Sox only 6 games behind them with the Yanks playing Tampa 4 more times and the Red Sox-Yankees going at it 3 more times, a Red Sox fan would be looking at the cup being more than half full right now. You could argue that the Yankees are also “on the cusp” of falling out of the Wild Card position – but you don’t. I will argue that, and I will also say that this Wild Card spot could easily not be decided until the last game of the season – and we could even have a 1-game playoff this year.

Last time I checked, neither the AL East champions have been declared nor has a winner for the Wild Card been decided yet. Do you have a time machine or something? Or do you and Peter Gammons use the same old crystal ball? To me, you’re just another ******* trying to wheedle a job from the Steinbrenners so you can openly spew your disdain for the Red Sox. Good luck to you. Take a number and get in that long, long line, pal. You will not be missed.

The Sox won an easy series from a down and out team. Amazes me that one of the more affluent cities in the U.S. can spark such a bad team :)
Clay is a concern. I don’t know what happened to him. Is he worn out? Are his mechanics off? Whatever the reason, Clay has to get back on track to be effective. He got lucky with a bad team.
Varitek looked good out there. He had some good throws and works hard but he’s also had several weeks rest as well. I still doubt he has the durability to handle the demands of catching but I still think he’s an amazing player. He’s just not 25 anymore.

Houndcat:
The problem with you is that you cannot write and comment without being combative and insulting. What you said perhaps is correct. But you have to be antagonistic and offensive to anyone you disagree. The tone of your voice that turns off many of our congenial regular bloggers here.
Go Sox.

Houndcat,
You seem pretty knowledgeable. A lot of what you have said in your posts are good observations. Your delivery needs work. BTW…the Sox have 6 more games with the Yankees, I doubt you find anyone more loyal to the Sox than Ian, and not everyone on here has given up on the Sox yet. So without the wild blanket statements and the “bull in the china shop” attitude…I’d say you have some sound information and decent forsight for next year. Maybe we’ll have John Farrell work on that delivery. Go Sox …it aint over yet.

cfarnham: Thanks for pointing out my error on the number of games left against NY. I don’t know how I screwed that up. Still, it makes my case against Brownie and his ilk even stronger.

You see, I just don’t like having a guy covering the Red Sox *for* the Red Sox having this pessimistic attitude, always looking for the lifeboats every time the boat hits an ice cube. Saying that “the Red Sox [are] on the cusp of falling out of contention” is taking a massively negative attitude at a time when it actually looks like the Red Sox are playing better and the Yanks are flailing. The Red Sox and the Yanks are 6 games apart in the Wild Card chase with 6 games to play between the two teams and the Yanks still have to play their nemesis, Tampa 4 more times… and this bum wants to pretend that the Red Sox are “on the cusp of elimination”? I call ******** on this guy. He has revealed to the world that he is a Red Sox hater. Let him go be a YES-man with the Yankees already.

As for my attitude: I have every right to be ********** at Ian Browne for trying to do whatever he can (which, thankfully, isn’t much) to throw cold water on the Red Sox as they struggle to win a playoff spot in spite of the massive setbacks this team has faced all year. Browne has waited until now, when the Red Sox are in an excellent position to make a last-minute run for the playoffs, to stick a knife in their backs. Red Sox fans, take note of this sabotage. I don’t like it at all.

Brownie let me vent about what i see when i watch a game.
1. NESN program director allows a camera on Francona standing in his usual spot and all he does for 4 hours is stand there and spit, i and the viewers don’t need to see that!
2. Don & Jerry team covering the game, Jerry will repeat endlessly how he wears his blue blazer everyday, how he felt when he turned 40 and other such crap. My suggestion is that Don needs a color man that “covers” the game and not his comments of just repeating what Don had just said, he repeats word for word Don comments about what has just happened during the game, he does not have anything to say as a good color guy should. When i watch other game announcers the color guy is great and comments just on the game and not about his Blue blazer. Finally of all the game i watch I only see Remy read flash ads all the time, never see that with other teams. We have so many commercial ads that it is amazing that we have time to cover the game.
3. I will miss Mike Lowell when he retires after this year. He took more **** from Baby Theo and Francoma about how they wanted to trade Mike who they said was over the hill, The Yankees did not think he was over the hill, Mike came through again.
4. Next year i suggest we get another color guy and retire Remy, he in my opinion is terrible, we should have someone like a pitcher like Ek who cover a few games while Remy was out and i learned more about the game in those few games. I have asked Don to teach Remy to tell us the fans what the catcher is calling for a pitch etc. get into the game not his blazer!
5. Enough. thank you for letting me vent!

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